A Hollow Soul, page 14
“She likes the newbies—easy to mold into her little pawns. Get on her good side, and you can get special privileges.”
“You don’t think that will work, do you?” I give it some serious thought.
“Probably not. She can smell a lie a mile away.”
“Doctor Quintan explained that I should trust her and let her know everything that is going on. He seemed really persistent on this, that I be open with him and her if no one else.”
“Do you really trust them? You don’t even know if you are going to get out of here one day, right?” She pouts and stabs the next thing on her plate, which are the little tentacle moving things. “Will they let any of us leave without the approval of the ones that put us in here? He’s a weird one. I have never dealt with him before, so I’m not sure. I can’t really say one way or another.”
“I guess time will tell, when we are done you will show me where to meet with Melissa, won’t you?”
“I guess someone has to do it, don’t they? She sighs very loudly and rolls her eyes to the side. “Fine I guess, you can be my good deed for the day or something to that effect.” She starts to eat slower, taking longer than necessary, to stall for time.
“You know there are times next to these appointments.”
“Yeah, those are just suggested times.” She motions my paper back over to my side.
“Somehow I think not.”
“The other good news is we have the library time around the same time so I can help you find some things and help you get some answers.”
I nod and finish the rest of my sandwich along with the water, waiting for her to be done so we can head out.
Chapter 6
“Thanks, I will see you later on then.” I laugh at Natasha as I watch her twitch away, she waves her fingers at me.
“Good luck!” she yells back.
I shake my head looking back at her as she moves away from me. I fold up the paper that the god-awful lunch lady gave to me and tuck it into my bra strap, not having pockets. My hands needed to be free when going up against this Melissa. I don’t know exactly what is going to happen, but I want to be prepared for anything.
I take a deep breath and open up the door hesitating in the doorway. I poke my head in, seeing a bland room with waiting chairs and in the center near the back of the room is a large round desk, with a huge creature curled up behind it. I poke my head back before it can see me and make an audible gulp. I breathe in deeply and school myself and my features to meet whoever this was head on. This creature didn’t look like an alpha wolf, more like a dragon or a dinosaur. I walk through the doorway and come up to the desk, facing this thing. I wasn’t sure what to call it.
“Excuse me,” I say in a small voice, the thing looks over at me and groans. “Are you Melissa, or is she around here somewhere?” I place my hands on the counter lightly.
The beast looks down and eyes me warily. I make a note of the purple hue that flows down its whole body. It has four long arms and two hooves that it sits back on very powerful haunches. It also has a tail that is curled up and split in two. It goes over the back part of the circle desk, its tail ends in a pinkish hue instead of the purple.
My eyes go wide as I take in the whole sight of this new creature that I have never even heard of let alone seen. I cough and think about whether I should attempt any more conversation with the creature or to even ask what it is.
“If I may ask, what are you?”
The thing stares at me and doesn’t say a word. I fidget nervously.
“Well, you see, I am new to all this, and I just have never seen anything like you and am not sure what you are or what any of this world is.”
The thing turns fully in my direction now, and I see the creature face on. She doesn’t have normal eyes; there are six of them, not just two. Where a nose would normally be, there are just two slits. It groans once more, but does not say much else.
I look around the room, hoping for something. “Do you not speak?” I give it a questioning look. The thing’s eyes are pink and solid in color, except the eyes that are almost on its neck those appear almost like a cat’s eyes, but still pink in color.
The thing rises up on its haunches, placing its four elongated hands on the desk, heaving all its weight on its haunches and hooved like feet. The desk groans at the extra weight. It elongates its neck and because of that I can see down its long stomach, though it is large the muscles are well defined.
The thing groans as it turns away from me, rifling through papers and a drawer in the back. The spikes on its back look like a dinosaur, but they are shiny, almost glittery, and a deep violet. My fingers itch to touch them and see if they are smooth or rough in texture.
I freeze in place, trying not to cower under the lip of the desk. Instead, I take a step back not standing so close. The slits in its nose expand as the creature takes a whiff of the air and scents me. I stand, still hoping not to endanger myself any further, not knowing what to do, barely keeping my hands down wanting to smell myself, making sure I didn’t smell bad.
“Ummm… I am here for my appointment to see Melissa. I am guessing that is not you.” My fingers shake and itch to feel the doorknob below them so that I can leave this place. I did not want to get eaten on my first day.
A low groan comes out of the thing again as it moves its slender rail thin fingers over a ledger. With a feathered pen in hand, it scratches against the book that is large and ominous. The book takes up most of the left side of the desk. It peers at me bringing its elongated neck forward, making its face come closer to mine, looking at me expecting me to say something. I fidget nervously at its intense stare and then back to the door contemplating escaping and running away.
It moans again slowly. “Name?” a low growl flits through my mind, speaking to me.
I pause to glance around, like someone might get behind me to whisper in my ear. There is no one else in the room other than me and the thing in front of me.
I glance at it and then back to the door, still contemplating. I face back to her and breathe in deeply before moving forward. “Did you just speak in my head?” I ask quietly. “Because if you didn’t, you are about to see a person-shaped hole in the middle of that door.” I point behind me.
It nods in my direction, shaking its body in time with the motions of its head. “Thissss issss how I communicate.” It hisses its S’s. “Sssssometimes it takesssss me a while to find the right frequencccccy, to talk to ssssomeone. That issss why it wassss quiet for sssso long. I wassss trying to find your frequenccccy to communicate, I hope I did not worry you too much.” A soft feminine voice whispers through my mind.
A peaceful sound emanates through my mind as she speaks to me. “That is amazing.” I squeak out, feeling much calmer. “Are you a girl? What should I call you? What are you?” I blurt out, I can no longer hold my questions back, I find it too interesting.
She eyes me warily and groans, but no words follow till a minute after. “Name?”
My nervous energy comes back as I fidget with the bottom of my shirt. I look down. “Alexia?” I bite at my lip worried if I had taken the questions too far.
“Are you asking me what your name is or are you telling it to me, youngling?” The words flit through my mind clear and sure unlike the last couple of times.
“Telling you I suppose, can you not physically speak then?” I move forward towards the desk and have to lean my head back a bit to see up to her head.
“This is how I communicate, young one.” A definite feminine tone scrambles into my brain. “Most of my kind have to give up something they value in order to learn the things they really want to know. I gave up my physical voice that was known for its beauty to be able to retain the knowledge that I am given and strive to learn everything that there is to know. Through the knowledge I gained, it has given me a new way to communicate to others, not needing the physical one I missed so,” she says tenderly, showing me pictures of her tribe and what it took on her journey to overcome the obstacles put in her way to achieve her dreams. “Along the way, I have learned a few other tricks, making it well worth it in the end.”
“Oh, wow.” My mouth is left hanging open as I learn all of this in a few moments. “Could I do something like that? What I wouldn’t give to know some things.”
“No little one that is for only my kind.” She moves back and sits back. “I will answer your questions because your mind is filled with many dark holes, and you need someone to finally be able to fill some of those.”
I nod eagerly, happy to find someone that can give me some answers even if they are not to my memory necessarily.
She waits patiently for me to gather my thoughts to ask the questions I wanted to know.
“Oh. You’re waiting for me to ask them again?”
She doesn’t say anything more and waits once more. I look back and forth before I peer at each of her eyes.
“What is your… kind… if I may ask? I am working on trying to get the wording down and not offend,” I rush on hoping she took better than if I had said monster.
A laugh flitters through my mind. “No worries, dearie, some say that my kind are descendants of dragons, some say dinosaurs, and still others think different species from another world all together like an alien. Those of my kind and tribe have come up with a name for others to call us which is, Teager.” She brings her head down to my eye level, so I don’t have to strain my neck, looking up. “We know very little magic and are able to make some miraculous things happen. My sister though her coloring is opposite of mine pink to my purple, she works in the library she will be able to help you if you need it. I have let her know to keep an eye out for you.”
I stutter, “Thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know I didn’t, but I needed to do it all the same.” She sniffs the room once again, her nose reaching toward the tall ceilings. “Melissa will see you now, lost one.” Her head skitters to the right showing me the door that is set into the wall there beside her.
I study the door and hesitate, wanting to speak to this pleasant creature rather than face off with a mad woman that will most likely not want to help me. “Wait, what is your name or what do I call you?”
“Tallia. Go on now, do not keep her waiting. We will talk again. If not, my sister will give you a message.” She butts the back of my arm with her head, pushing me forward.
I nod my head as my mood spirals down, not interested in the least to go in and meet with Melissa at all. I grumble under my breath, “I would have much rather had more time with the Teager instead of doing this, at least I may have learned something more than I would going into this meeting.” I perk up and look back at Tallia before heading in. “Maybe I could talk with her after my session,” I comment to myself.
“Never fear, you will make it through this, and we will have plenty of time to talk if not after then you definitely will have time with my sister.” She extends one of her clawed hands out and waves as I motion through the door.
I nod now smiling slightly as I move forward into the room. “Thank you,” I whisper, and wave goodbye.
As I go through the door, I notice everything neat and in a certain place. Everything was very bland and plain. They were all in the colors of black, white, or silver. No color lived here. It was all very modern looking and was not well lived in unlike Doctor Quintan’s office. “I am guessing we will not be discussing feelings today,” I mutter.
“Miss Kremer?” a sturdy voice emits.
I bring my eyes to rest on a fashionably dressed business woman in a normal black skirt suit, which fits her exceptionally well. “Yes?”
She walks over to me in high heels that seem really dangerous to be strutting in.
“Are those expensive.” I stare down at the killer heels. My eyes don’t want to raise up.
She looks down at the shoes and then holds a handout for me to shake. “I’m Melissa; yes, they were quite expensive but well worth it.” She smiles. “We will be going over something that you have learned from last night, and anything else that could possibly help, maybe memories were jogged in the aftermath.” My eyes raise slightly. She bares her teeth in her smile. “Feelings may not be the basic concept of what I am trying to get at, but they will be there.”
I shake her hand politely and grimace at the strength of her grip on mine, as if testing me to see where I stand up against her. Her straight, blonde hair is pulled back into a tight chignon, making her appear classy and elegant, but she still portrays the bitter bite of do not fuck with me.
“Please take a seat.” She motions to the couch as she releases my hand.
The couch is placed near a plush, leather chair. It is facing the couch where she wants me to sit. I regard the inspirational photo that sits behind the couch. It reads in big, bold letters Dedication, and in smaller writing beneath it, it is the effort of many that create the ripples that can move mountains. The picture includes a lake that is surrounded by mountains and the day is clear as it brings clarity and peace to the one viewing the picture.
“Are you moving mountains here?” I cock my head to the side, not moving forward to the couch. “Or are you a wolf in sheep’s clothing?” I ask, wanting to know if Natasha is right about everything or if I should trust Doctor Quintan and reveal to her what happened yesterday.
She gives me a double take and squints her eyes at me not understanding where that came from. “Excuse me,” she whispers.
“I think you heard me.” I stand my ground and face her head on while looking her dead in the eyes. If she is the alpha of all alpha’s, her world is not mine, and I’m not going to be cowed into something. She set me on edge and she knew it.
Her head raises a centimeter to be above mine and looks down at me. “Who dropped you off here? Or did you find the place on your own?” She sniffs the air for a moment as she lets the uncomfortable sounds resonate between us. “I read in your file that you were rooming with Natasha. Is that who dropped you off or at least talked to you about me?”
I nod.
“Of course, she did.” She sighs deeply and drops her gaze. “She likes to ruin my shot with the new people before I even get to them. I am not the bad one here, neither is Natasha.” She backs up. “She just likes to play these games that she doesn’t need to.”
“I guess it is not fair for me to judge you. I don’t even know you let alone any of what this means to be Fae or wolf or witch even.” I shrug and plop down on the couch, which is not as plush as it looks. Melissa sits in the chair across from her, sinking into her chair a lot plushier than the sofa by far. “One quick question, though, before we begin, please,” I insist. I need to make up my mind about things on my own. I will use the knowledge given to me by others to help come to a conclusion, but I won’t just hate her because Natasha does.
“Go on. Ask your question.” She motions for me to continue.
“The quote above me.” I point behind me at the picture. “Does it have a deeper meaning?”
Melissa glides a pen over to her notebook to take notes in. “Of course, it does, sweetie. Don’t all quotes have some deeper meaning?” she asks.
“I don’t know, I guess I never really gave it thought before.” I fall back against the back, not liking the answer given.
“I have noticed it is not always about the quote or the exact meaning when it was written, but more about how the viewer interprets the words. How they adapt and change it to fit their needs,” she goes on. “Quintan wrote down here that we had helped you to view a memory, is that correct?” Jumping right into things then.
“Yeah, that is right.” I push myself to the edge of the couch, not able to really sink down in the plushness, so I would rather be on the edge of the uncomfortable thing. I rub my hands together and notice Melissa watching me move. I put them under my thighs, stopping the nervous movement. “You’re a wolf shifter though, correct?” I fling my own question out.
“This session isn’t really about me now, is it?” she bites back.
“No, but it should be about what I do not know about this world and the creatures it inhabits. I don’t want to accidentally get killed or worse for saying the wrong thing.” I throw logic at her; perhaps that will get me more answers.
“Point taken.”
“You ask and get an answer and I get the same in return.”
“Are you trying to make a deal with me?” She chuckles.
I roll my eyes. “It seems like the only thing that will work if I want answers to not take forever by researching.”
She thinks for a moment, pursing her lips. “Fair enough.” She nods. “Though it is up to my discretion whether or not to answer it fully or not.”
“Same.” I glare back at her; two can play this game. Natasha was not the only one that played games, Melissa also liked them as well.
Her eyes return to her notebook. “Why don’t you start at the beginning of the memory that Quintan helped you see, and then walk me through it? I will stop you if I have any questions about anything.”
“One big question deserves a couple of questions of mine answered.”
“Nope this is not how that game is going to be played.” She gives me a blank stare.
I just stare at her and fidget in the silence. Why did the silence seem like a physical thing, I already itched to say something, she was going to win this damn it? “Ughh,” I blurt and go over the memory in as little detail as possible. “Why would Doctor Quintan tell me to trust you?” I leave her with a question.
“He trusts me, easy as that,” she says with finality. “That memory—let’s go over it. You said you saw your mother. What was her name? Was she the lady that was murdered, which brought you to us?”
I smile now. “Is that two or three questions?” I bat back at her. “What can a wolf do to help me work through my memory?”
She waits to see if I will answer first. “He sends me tasty morsels to eat, I am good with getting one past fear usually by facing it.” Her eyes glow golden as she bites out the words to me.
